Illuminating device



Aug. 2, 1938. J;-P. HOBART ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi .4. Y

I INVENTOR. JOHN P floaAkvz ATTORNEYS 5 a a a Hai Aug. 2, 1938. J. P.HOBART ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ILLUMINATINGDEVICE John P. Hobart, Kalamazoo, Mich. Application January 14, 1935,Serial No. 1,609

4 4 Claims. (01. 240 s1) .My invention is addressed to the provision ofalso is true of the secondary location from which illuminating deViceshaving novel utility and caradiation is effective in my improved lamp.pable of producing new artistic and utilitarian An example of myinvention may be underefiects. An object of my invention is the crea--stood ina broad sense from Figs. 1 and 2, which tion of a lamp of betterilluminating properties, are diagrams only. Vertical parallel lines inFig. '5 giving uniform illumination over a desired area. 1 illustratethe direction of rays from the para- Another object ofmy invention isthe provision of bolic reflector l, as derived from the light source alamp of unique exterior appearance, by having 2. A dotted linerepresentation at 3 illustrates the source of illuminationswitches,sockets, rehow such a reflector may be modified to form a flectors andthe like-concealed as fully as possible. reflector suitable foruse inmyinvention as seen in 10 Still another-object of my invention is togive to Fig. 2. This section .3 of the reflector is shown asilluminating devices new artistic and decorative t ted around a p nt Othe 8 t n in forms. Still another object of my invention is the 2 a eflc o is Sh wn Whichay be thought of s provision of means for supplyingenergy to lamps a figure of revolution of the section 3. If this w t t tuse of exposed onnecting d reflector be illuminated by'parallel rays oflight 113 My lamps are useful as table lamps, reading from beneath, asshown by the arrows, the light lamps, fioor or standing lamps, sourcesof illumiwill be diverted sidewise and will be substantially nation forthe dinner table, garden and outdoor o d at p t a k d 5 and 3- In areflector furnishings, and for the creation of special efformed asdescribed, these points will lie in an fects on a larger scale. Theobjects which I have an u a r el d u o the eflector- It 20 mentionedabove, and others which will be ap- Willnow be appreciated that the enire l mp may parent .to one skill d i th rt upon r di g be contained ina housing which is continuous these specifications, I accomplish by thatcertain ept at e annular focus, Where the p 7 7 construction andarrangement of .parts of which ng may be very smal It Will e130 be pp dI shall now describe certain specific embodiments, that this creates newopportunities for ar i i which will be understood as exemplary only anddesign in amp p u y in that the pp as not limiting. Reference is .madeto the drawr fl does n n to be large in iz and ings wherein: theordinary shade may be eliminated excepting Figure 1 is a diagrammaticrepresentation of where desired for deco a i p po e It W l the action ofan ordinaryparabolic reflector. f r h r be clear that I h v p vid d forh 30 Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of effective andeflicient concentration and direction the action of adiflerent reflectordeveloped thereof illuminati n Wh r e i h is exemplary from, only of onetype of reflector which I may employ. Figure 3 is an elevational view ofa table lamp In the practice of my invention it is not neces- 3'5'embodying .my invention and having a novel sary that a reflector formedas a figure of revoluswitch. tion be used, nor a reflector developedfrom a Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of an illumiportion o pa a a. Nr is t n s a y that nated garden fixture embodying my invention. thereflector have an annular focus. If illumina- Figure 5 is a sectionalview of another table tion is desired at but one side of the lamp, forexlampembgdyjng my invention ample the reflector maybe a planar figurecorre- 40 Figure 6 is a sectional view of transformer di g to the line 3in Figure 1. Reflectors means f r Supplying energy to a table lamp. Withmay be made having lines of focus of other shapes out direct cordconnection than annular. Appropriate changes in the hous- Figure 7 showsa further modified lamp. mg members may be madeygiving lamps of manyBroadly stated my invention involves the renew shapes flection of lightfrom a suitable source which is i i s g f 3:32 :2 g g isg fi g ig gs gconcealed, in-a novel way, whereby highly ornay g b 9. fi I mental lampshaving new-and increased utilities for a lamp bul A re ectol a asslsts mdlrect ing the light upwardly. The pedestal may be and :novel decorativeeffects may be produced as made f any material desired Such as metal, 50

will hereinafter be more fully set forth. It is,

vitreous Ware, pottery, etc. It will usually be of course, understoodthat with any light source, opaque but not necessarily The upper partsuch as an incandescent electric lamp, there is no of th housing is, inthis instance, a round glass single point from which radiation occurs,but member ii. The upper surface of this member ratheran area, as thefilament of the lamp. This is hollow ground or moulded to form areflecting 55 surface l3 corresponding to the reflector 4 of Figure 2.The surface of this portion will preferably be silvered as in forming amirror, and the metal film may be protected in any way desired. Pointsin the annular focus of this reflector are indicated at l3 and M. Thelower edges of the glass member are rounded as at [5 and 16 to avoidrefraction, and are substantially the sole places where light isemitted. Very little if any light comes through the side edges of theglass member. The extent of the illumination is indicated by the dottedlines.

In Figure 3 I also show a novel switch, comprising a casing So next tothe bottom .of the socket 8 of the lamp 9, and an operating element 8?)for this switch projecting downward through a support fixed in the basela. It will be understood that the terminals of this switch areconnected to the respective terminals of the lamp and to the source ofcurrent, so that the switch controls the supply of current to the lamp.Also it will be understood that the switch is of such a type, that, withthe element 81) movable up and down, the switch will be opened by one upand down movement of the element 8?) and will be closed by the next upand down movement thereof and so on. With this provision the lamp may belighted by lifting or tilting it on the table or other surface, and thenbringing it to normal position; and it may be turned oif by a repetitionof such movements.

Figure 4 shows a garden fixture comprising a vase-shaped housing in twoparts, I1 and I8. These parts are held slightly interspaced by bracketmembers 19. A socket, lamp and reflector are contained in the lowerhousing member and are indicated generally at 20. The upper housingmember may be surmounted by a bowl 2! for a bird bath, for example. Thisbowl is carried upwardly at its center and is perforated as at 22. Thediverting reflector is shown at 23 and may be made of stainless steel orplated metal. It is also perforated as at 24. A portion of the lightfrom the source passes through the perforations 22 and 24 and may beused to illuminate a glass or other translucent ornament 25. The annularfocus of the reflector 23 is substantially at the interspace between thehousing portions IT and 18. This interspace may either be left free orfilled with sectional glass rim members 26. The extent of theillumination is again indicated by dotted lines. Obviously other typesand designs of ornamental and/or utilitarian housing members may beemployed.

In Figure 5 I have shown lamp comprising a base 291) and pedestal 28containing lamp 29 and its mounting. A reflector 30 is held above thepedestal by interspaced supports 3!. A dummy shade 32 surmounts thereflector. This form of lamp is shown to indicate a different design ofhousing structure and also the use of a type of reflector which need nothave a relatively sharp annular focus. It will be noted, however, thatequivalent effects are obtained, namely, concealment of the lightsource,conservation and more effective distribution of the light, arelatively small opening for the passage of light, and novel designeffects. The lamp here shown has the transparent ornament 33 passingvertically through openings in the dummy shade 32 and in the reflector30 so that it will be illuminated by the lamp 29. Also, as here shown,the lamp 29 is mounted on a stem 29a projecting up from the base 2%; andthe latter is provided with ventilating openings 29c, and has feet 29d.Afree circulation of air is thus afforded up through the interior of thelamp, to keep it cool. It will be understood that such ventilating meansmay be provided in any of the other examples.

In Figure 6 I have shown means for supplying energy to a lamp, such forexample as a lamp upon a dinner table, without carrying a cord acrossthe table. A table top is indicated at 33. Beneath this I fasten atransformer portion comprising an E-shaped or cup-shaped core 34 and aprimary winding 35. The transformer portion may be held in place bymeans of a strap 36 and screws as shown. In the pedestal 31 of the tablelamp I locate a corresponding core section 38 having a secondary winding39 which will be understood as connected to the light source in thelamp. If the lamp is positioned on the table top so that the transformersections match, energy will be transferred from the primary section tothe secondary section. The lines of flux are indicated by dotted lines.It will be understood that this type of transformer is not highlyefficient; but in accordance with known principles of design may beconstructed to deliver the required amount of energy in spite of therelatively large dielectric gap in the core.

In Figure '7 is a modification in which the lamp 34 and dome-shapedreflector 35 are so arranged that the light rays, as indicated by thedotted lines, leave the lamp from the left side to travel to thereflector, and are reflected to the right where they converge to formpart of an annular focus. In this example any focal point is at theopposite side of the lamp from the portion of the reflector surfacewhich converges the rays to the said focal point. Such a reflector maybe formed as a figure of revolution of the section 3 of Figure 1 whentilted in the opposite direction; but again the reflector section neednot be a section of a parabola.

When using my types of reflector, they may be shaped to give any degreeof illumination where ever desired. For instance, if it is desired tohave the surface illuminated more brightly farther away from the lampthan near its base, it is only necessary to reflect a. larger percentageof light to the farther area than is reflected to the base area. Thismay be done by appropriate change in the reflector contour. This isimpossible to obtain with any direct light, as with such light thebrightest intensity is always closest to the lamp.

Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from thespirit thereof. It will be understood that my lamps may be made withlonger or shorter pedestals, or even without pedestals in the sense ofmeans which support the lamp from beneath; and it will further beunderstood that my lamps may be made in a wide variety of shapes andconfigurations and with any type of external decoration desired. Thereflector may have sharp or diffused lines of focus, annular or not, asdesired. It will be understood that my invention is not limitedotherwise than as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a lighting fixture, a hollow pedestal, a source of light in saidpedestal, a reflector thereabove receiving light from said source anddiverting said light outwardly and downwardly and c0nfining said lightto a relatively narrow band slightly above the upper edge of saidpedestal, and housing means covering said reflector and interspaced fromsaid pedestal top substantially only sufliciently to let the reflectedlight through at said band only, said housing means comprising a coveredbowl-shaped member, said reflector being fastened to the underside ofsaid cover.

2. In a lighting fixture, a hollow pedestal, a source of light in saidpedestal, a reflector thereabove receiving light from said source anddiverting said light outwardly and downwardly and confining said lightto a relatively narrow band slightly above the upper edge of saidpedestal, and housing means covering said reflector and spaced from saidpedestal top substantially only sufliciently to let the reflected lightthrough at said band, a continuous perforation through said reflectorand said housing centrally and a translucent ornamental member inoptical connection with said perforation.

3. In a lighting fixture, a hollow pedestal, a source of light in saidpedestal, a reflector thereabove receiving light from said source anddiverting said light outwardly and downwardly and confining said lightto a relatively narrow band slightly above the upper edge of saidpedestal, and housing means covering said reflector and interspaced fromsaid pedestal top substantially only sufliciently to let the reflectedlight through at said band only.

4. A stand lamp comprising a hollow pedestal, a light source and aconcentrating reflector in the lower portion of said pedestal forprojecting a substantially parallel beam upwardly, a second reflectorsupported above the top thereof and shaped to receive said concentrate-dlight and converge it to an annular focus near the upper periphery ofsaid pedestal and housing means supported from said pedestal andcovering the second reflector and having its lower edge spaced from theperiphery of the pedestal to provide a narrow gap to allow light at saidannular focus to pass through.

JOHN P. HOBART.

